Marble Institute of America: Press Room

MIA Readies Launch of Industry's 1st Benchmarking Survey

CLEVELAND, OH, June 1, 2007— In early June, the U.S.-based fabricator members of the Marble Institute of America will receive the industry's first-ever benchmarking survey. The survey will help them strengthen their financial position by providing an analysis of how they stand compared to other firms their size.

"The economy has demonstrated an ability to sustain growth, and with the benefit of sales growth, stone fabricators should be producing higher profits," asserts Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of the nearly 1800 member worldwide organization.

"Unfortunately, higher profits are not automatic," he continued. "Profits must be earned. One way to help ensure that fabricators reach their full potential is a set of realistic financial benchmarks."

The information gathered in the survey (sales, payroll and other operating expenses, gross margin, average collection period, etc.) is arranged to provide direct comparisons to other participating firms all based on size.

Profit Planning Group, a well regarded association profitability and compensation analysis firm, will manage the survey for the MIA. Members' proprietary financial data is kept strictly confidential. Only employees of the survey company will see the data. In over 20 years of conducting benchmarking surveys, Profit Planning Group has an unblemished record of maintaining confidentiality.

The survey results and final reports will be available at no cost to those firms that participate in the study. Non-participants will be charged a fee to receive a copy of the consolidated Performance Analysis Report.

About the Marble Institute of America
For over 60 years the Marble Institute of America (MIA) has been the world's leading information resource and advocate for the natural dimension stone industry. MIA members include marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and other natural stone producers and quarriers, fabricators, installers, distributors, and contractors around the world.